the history-第139部分

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offer　sacrifice。　The　Grecian　sacrifice　was　offered　by　Tisamenus；　the　son　of　Antiochus；　who　accompanied　the　army　as　soothsayer：　he　was　an　Elean；　and　belonged　to　the　Clytiad　branch　of　the　Iamidae；　but　had　been　admitted　among　their　own　citizens　by　the　Lacedaemonians。　Now　his　admission　among　them　was　on　this　wise：…　Tisamenus　had　gone　to　Delphi　to　consult　the　god　concerning　his　lack　of　offspring；　when　it　was　declared　to　him　by　the　Pythoness　that　he　would　win　five　very　glorious　combats。　Misunderstanding　the　oracle；　and　imagining　that　he　was　to　win　combats　in　the　games；　Tisamenus　at　once　applied　himself　to　the　practice　of　gymnastics。　He　trained　himself　for　the　Pentathlum；　and；　on　contending　at　Olympia；　came　within　a　little　of　winning　it；　for　he　was　successful　in　everything；　except　the　wrestling…match；　which　was　carried　off　by　Hieronymus　the　Andrian。　Hereon　the　Lacedaemonians　perceived　that　the　combats　of　which　the　oracle　spoke　were　not　combats　in　the　games；　but　battles：　they　therefore　sought　to　induce　Tisamenus　to　hire　out　his　services　to　them；　in　order　that　they　might　join　him　with　their　Heracleid　kings　in　the　conduct　of　their　wars。　He　however；　when　he　saw　that　they　set　great　store　by　his　friendship；　forthwith　raised　his　price；　and　told　them；　〃If　they　would　receive　him　among　their　citizens；　and　give　him　equal　rights　with　the　rest；　he　was　willing　to　do　as　they　desired；　but　on　no　other　terms　would　they　ever　gain　his　consent。〃　The　Spartans；　when　they　heard　this；　at　first　thought　it　monstrous；　and　ceased　to　implore　his　aid。　Afterwards；　however；　when　the　fearful　danger　of　the　Persian　war　hung　over　their　heads；　they　sent　for　him　and　agreed　to　his　terms；　but　Tisamenus　now；　perceiving　them　so　changed；　declared；　〃He　could　no　longer　be　content　with　what　he　had　asked　before：　they　must　likewise　make　his　brother　Hagias　a　Spartan；　with　the　same　rights　as　himself。〃　　　　　In　acting　thus　he　did　but　follow　the　example　once　set　by　Melampus；　at　least　if　kingship　may　be　compared　with　citizenship。　For　when　the　women　of　Argos　were　seized　with　madness；　and　the　Argives　would　have　hired　Melampus　to　come　from　Pylos　and　heal　them　of　their　disease；　he　demanded　as　his　reward　one…half　of　the　kingdom；　but　as　the　Argives　disdained　to　stoop　to　this；　they　left　him　and　went　their　way。　Afterwards；　however；　when　many　more　of　their　women　were　seized；　they　brought　themselves　to　agree　to　his　terms；　and　accordingly　they　went　again　to　him；　and　said　they　were　content　to　give　what　he　required。　Hereon　Melampus；　seeing　them　so　changed；　raised　his　demand；　and　told　them；　〃Except　they　would　give　his　brother　Bias　one…third　of　the　kingdom　likewise；　he　would　not　do　as　they　wished。〃　So；　as　the　Argives　were　in　a　strait；　they　consented　even　to　this。　　　　　In　like　manner　the　Spartans；　as　they　were　in　great　need　of　Tisamenus；　yielded　everything：　and　Tisamenus　the　Elean；　having　in　this　way　become　a　Spartan　citizen；　afterwards；　in　the　capacity　of　soothsayer；　helped　the　Spartans　to　gain　five　very　glorious　combats。　He　and　his　brother　were　the　only　men　whom　the　Spartans　ever　admitted　to　citizenship。　The　five　combats　were　these　following：…　The　first　was　the　combat　at　Plataea；　the　second；　that　near　Tegea；　against　the　Tegeans　and　the　Argives；　the　third；　that　at　Dipaeeis；　against　all　the　Arcadians　excepting　those　of　Mantinea；　the　fourth；　that　at　the　Isthmus；　against　the　Messenians；　and　the　fifth；　that　at　Tanagra；　against　the　Athenians　and　the　Argives。　The　battle　here　fought　was　the　last　of　all　the　five。　　　　　The　Spartans　had　now　brought　Tisamenus　with　them　to　the　Plataean　territory；　where　he　acted　as　soothsayer　for　the　Greeks。　He　found　the　victims　favourable；　if　the　Greeks　stood　on　the　defensive；　but　not　if　they　began　the　battle　or　crossed　the　river　Asopus。　　　　　With　Mardonius　also；　who　was　very　eager　to　begin　the　battle；　the　victims　were　not　favourable　for　so　doing；　but　he　likewise　found　them　bode　him　well；　if　he　was　content　to　stand　on　his　defence。　He　too　had　made　use　of　the　Grecian　rites；　for　Hegesistratus；　an　Elean；　and　the　most　renowned　of　the　Telliads；　was　his　soothsayer。　This　man　had　once　been　taken　captive　by　the　Spartans；　who；　considering　that　he　had　done　them　many　grievous　injuries；　laid　him　in　bonds；　with　the　intent　to　put　him　to　death。　Thereupon　Hegesistratus；　finding　himself　in　so　sore　a　case；　since　not　only　was　his　life　in　danger；　but　he　knew　that　he　would　have　to　suffer　torments　of　many　kinds　before　his　death；…　Hegesistratus；　I　say；　did　a　deed　for　which　no　words　suffice。　He　had　been　set　with　one　foot　in　the　stocks；　which　were　of　wood　but　bound　with　iron　bands；　and　in　this　condition　received　from　without　an　iron　implement；　wherewith　he　contrived　to　accomplish　the　most　courageous　deed　upon　record。　Calculating　how　much　of　his　foot　he　would　be　able　to　draw　through　the　hole；　he　cut　off　the　front　portion　with　his　own　hand；　and　then；　as　he　was　guarded　by　watchmen；　forced　a　way　through　the　wall　of　his　prison；　and　made　his　escape　to　Tegea；　travelling　during　the　night；　but　in　the　daytime　stealing　into　the　woods；　and　staying　there。　In　this　way；　though　the　Lacedaemonians　went　out　in　full　force　to　search　for　him；　he　nevertheless　escaped；　and　arrived　the　third　evening　at　Tegea。　So　the　Spartans　were　amazed　at　the　man's　endurance；　when　they　saw　on　the　ground　the　piece　which　he　had　cut　off　his　foot；　and　yet　for　all　their　seeking　could　not　find　him　anywhere。　Hegesistratus；　having　thus　escaped　the　Lacedaemonians；　took　refuge　in　Tegea；　for　the　Tegeans　at　that　time　were　ill　friends　with　the　Lacedaemonians。　When　his　wound　was　healed；　he　procured　himself　a　wooden　foot；　and　became　an　open　enemy　to　Sparta。　At　the　last；　however；　this　enmity　brought　him　to　trouble；　for　the　Spartans　took　him　captive　as　he　was　exercising　his　office　in　Zacynthus；　and　forthwith　put　him　to　death。　But　these　things　happened　some　while　after　the　fight　at　Plataea。　At　present　he　was　serving　Mardonius　on　the　Asopus；　having　been　hired　at　no　inconsiderable　price；　and　here　he　offered　sacrifice　with　a　right　good　will；　in　part　from　his　hatred　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　in　part　for　lucre's　sake。　　　　　So　when　the　victims　did　not　allow　either　the　Persians　or　their　Greek　allies　to　begin　the　battle…　these　Greeks　had　their　own　soothsayer　in　the　person　of　Hippomachus；　a　Leucadian…　and　when　soldiers　continued　to　pour　into　the　opposite　camp　and　the　numbers　on　the　Greek　side　to　increase　continually；　Timagenidas；　the　son　of　Herpys；　a　Theban；　advised　Mardonius　to　keep　a　watch　on　the　passes　of　Cithaeron；　telling　him　how　supplies　of　men　kept　flocking　in　day　after　day；　and　assuring　him　that　he　might　cut　off　large　numbers。　　　　　It　was　eight　days　after　the　two　armies　first　encamped　opposite　to　one　another　when　this　advice　was　given　by　Timagenidas。　Mardonius；　seeing　it　to　be　good；　as　soon　as　evening　came；　sent　his　cavalry　to　that　pass　of　Mount　Cithaeron　which　opens　out　upon　Plataea；　a　pass　called　by　the　Boeotians　the　〃Three　Heads；〃　called　the　〃Oak…Heads〃　by　the　Athenians。　The　horse　sent　on　this　errand　did　not　make　the　movement　in　vain。　They　came　upon　a　body　of　five　hundred　sumpter…beasts　which　were　just　entering　the　plain；　bringing　provisions　to　the　Greek　camp　from　the　Peloponnese；　with　a　number　of　men　driving　them。　Seeing　this　prey　in　their　power；　the　Persians　set　upon　them　and　slaughtered　them；　sparing　none；　neither　man　nor　beast；　till　at　last；　when　they　had　had　enough　of　slaying；　they　secured　such　as　were　left；　and　bore　them　off　to　the　camp　to　Mardonius。　　　　　After　this　they　waited　again　for　two　days　more；　neither　army　wishing　to　begin　the　fight。　The　barbarians　indeed　advanced　as　far　as　the　Asopus；　and　endeavoured　to　tempt　the　Greeks　to　cross；　but　neither　side　actually　passed　the　stream。　Still　the　cavalry　of　Mardonius　harassed　and　annoyed　the　Greeks　incessantly；　for　the　Thebans；　who　were　zealous　in　the　cause　of　the　Medes；　pressed　the　war　forward　with　all　eagerness；　and　often　led　the　charge　till　the　lines　met；　when　the　Medes　and　Persians　took　their　place；　and　displayed；　many　of　them；　uncommon　valour。　　　　　For　ten　days　nothing　was　done　more　than　this；　but　on　the　eleventh　day　from　the　time　when　the　two　hosts　first　took　station；　one　over　against　the　other；　near　Plataea…　the　number　of　the　Greeks　being　now　much　greater　than　it　was　at　the　first；　and　Mardonius　being　impatient　of　the　delay…　there　was　a　conference　held　between　Mardonius；　son　of　Gobryas；　and　Artabazus；　son　of　Pharnaces；　a　man　who　was　esteemed　by　Xerxes　more　than　almost　any　of　the　Persians。　At　this　consultation　the　following　were　the　opinions　delivered：…　Artabazus　thought　it　would　be　best　for　them　to　break　up　from　their　quarters　as　soon　as　possible；　and　withdraw　the　whole　army　to　the　fortified　town　of　Thebes；　where　they　had　abundant　stores　of　corn　for　themselves；　and　of　fodder　for　the　sumpter…beasts。　There；　he　said；　they　had　only　to　sit　quiet；　and　the　war　might　be　brought　to　an　end　on　this　wise：…　Coined　gold　was　plentiful　in　the　camp；　and　uncoined　gold　too；　they　had　silver　moreover　in　great　abundance；　and　drinking…cups。　Let　them　not　spare　to　take　of　these；　and　distribute　them　among　the　Greeks；　especially　among　the　leaders　in　the　several　cities；　'twould　not　be　long　before　the　Greeks　gave　up　their　liberty；　without　risking　another　battle　for　it。　Thus　the　opinion　of　Artabazus　agreed　with　that　of　the　Thebans；　for　he　too　had　more　foresight　than　some。　Mardonius；　on　the　other　hand；　expressed　himself　with　more　fierceness　and　obstinacy；　and　was　utterly　disinclined　to　yield。　〃Their　army；〃　he　said；　〃was　vastly　superior　to　that　of　the　Greeks；　and　they　had　best　engage　at　once；　and　not　wait　till　greater　numbers　were　gathered　against　them。　As　for　Hegesistratus　and　his　victims；　they　should　let　them　pass　unheeded；　not　seeking　to　force　them　to　be　favourable；　but；　according　to　the　old　Persian　custom；　hasting　to　join　battle。〃　　　　　When　Mardonius　had　thus　declared　his　sentiments；　no　one　ventured　to　say　him　nay；　and　accordingly　his　opinion　prevailed；　for　it　was　to　him；　and　not　to　Artabazus；　that　the　king　had　given　the　command　of　the　army。　　　　　Mardonius　now　sent　for　the　captains　of　the　squadrons；　and　the　leaders　of　the　Greeks　in　his　service；　and　questioned　them：…　〃Did　they　know　of　any　prophecy　which　said　that　the　Persians　were　to　be　destroyed　in　Greece？〃　All　were　silent；　some　because　they　did　not　know　the　prophecies；　but　others；　who　knew　them　full　well；　be